The desired effect:
- Extension of the sense of touch to help those who suffer other organs of senses defects (blind, weak vision, deaf and people with hearing loss).
- Data input devices which would supplement the video and audio channels (distraction from the main activity is not required) or for situations when it is dark or loudly, or there isn’t a possibility to use other devices.
- Transition devices to the neuro-interface, training for integration into the information society up to telepathy.
It is proposed to create a new class of devices, in which the sensory channel will be the primary way of information input/output (transferring it to the human). At that, such devices should not impede the everyday activity of the human, and allow transferring data causing no distractions to the human, in parallel with the activity (like the way we use hearing simultaneously with the eyesight. Today the most familiar device similar to it is the vibe call in telephones that is switched on during the incoming calls, SMS or reminders. However, the vibe-call is much restricted functionally, telling no details on who’s calling, the SMS text or which event the telephone wants to remind.
The practice tells us that the throughput capacity of the sensory channel is enough for transferring the text almost at the speech rate (orienting toward the read rate of well-trained blind people). So, the sensory input channel can (potentially) become a full-fledged information gadget.
If we proceed from that the device should not impede the everyday life, then the concentration zones for the main sense receptors (fingers and palm, lips, tongue) should be excluded. If the device is to be worn and taken off easily, then only hands (hands and forearms) and the head (forehead) remain. As regards the device position, hands are convenient with the form factor habituality (bracelet watch), the forearm is convenient for carrying a greater weight and additional equipment (a bigger battery, sound headset etc.) and additionally include the input function (similar to Myo bracelets), and the forehead is situated close to the eyes and ears, so it can be used as a part of the device that would embrace all 3 sensory organs at once. Only the practice will reveal which of the devices will prove to be most convenient for the people. Though all of them can exist (and be used) at the same time and, of course, there will be some special-purpose and professional devices that would use palms and fingers.
Presumably, the main functions of such devices will be the event notifications similar to nowadays SMS messages in our phones. However, the number and role of such notifications can be much larger, if we use the integration of all gadgets and home networks of a person into a single information device. Of course, such devices will allow reading a text in situations when it is too noisy or dark, trembling or simply inconvenient to read the normal book. Apart from the information events, background notifications could serve for getting various information – about time, temperature and pressure, taking directions, whether forecast, even radiation level, if it is elevated.
Undoubtedly, for the blind and defective vision people such devices may become a true window to the information world, but only subject to the new network technologies’ ubiquity. Two reasons for it. First, it is not enough just to be able reading a text, it is necessary that the text itself exist; that means, it is not enough just to have the internet connection, but the web-services and web-sites be able to provide the information in the form useable via the devices that work with texts only. In that case the device will be able to read the text aloud or display it on the text screen, or transfer it through the sensory channel. And of course, today’s Internet provides its visitors full-fledged applications instead of static contents. The second reason is that the modern industry can make cheap goods only when they are produced on large scale. The reason why modern devices elaborated for reading by blind people based on Braille alphabet cost thousands dollars is their tiny production quantity. A mass production of sensory devices for all people, both, for the professional use and as comfortable gadgets, will allow reducing their price down to some hundreds dollars or even dozens dollars for the cheapest models, making them affordable almost for all blind and defective vision people. The devices can even partly substitute vision – similar to devices like BrainPort allowing “seeing” by using the tongue or use the skin like dolphins use the echolocators.
Apart from blind and people of weak vision, the devices will aid deaf people or people with hearing loss as well, partly compensating the loss at the expense of sensory signals. Say, the voice recognition device can what is being said to the deaf person, into sensory signals, text. Just as it can translate his/her gestures (recognized like the Myo bracelet does) into speech for the other people. Some significant and loud sounds within the person’s visible range can be translated to him/her into sensory signals. (direction + type, for example “a car is approaching from behind, left”).
Evidently, one of the final points of the connection technology progress will be human’s integration into the single information space at a level close to telepathy, integrating by something like a sense organ. Naturally, it supposes a direct connection to the brain and the nerves coming to the brain. Directly connecting to the visual or auditory nerve, at that translating some signals that would make sense, not just a noise – hardly achievable in the foreseeable future. Use of the other sense organs apart from the sense of touch – has no prospects (taste, smell – because of their low throughput rate), dangerous and simply inconvenient (the sense of muscle tension and the body position in the space). Use of the sense of touch is convenient enough – it can be linked to by just pressing and vibrating on the skin points, or it is possible to affect the nerves directly (by electric pulses). Signals coming through this channel do not disorientate human and it has a sufficient throughput rate. And the experiments revealed (for example, BrainPort) they can be as efficient as implanting electrodes into the brain directly.
Basing on the mentioned above, the development of the sensory devices can become the most comfortable way to the neuro-implants technologies. It is not enough, if we just put some electrodes into a human, as the whole range of information and humanitarian technologies is required. We need technologies for creating internet-services and information sites compatible with non-visual interface. We need to develop the system of signs, language for the neuro-interfaces. We need to pass the whole process of a new eco-system creation – like we needed broadcasting stations to spread the radio, and the broadcasting stations needed listeners, same applies to the neuro-interface-oriented network services which require users, and the users require services. This process takes some time and the existence of neuro-gadgets will stimulate the further progress of the information network in general and neuro-interface-oriented services in particular.
Over 100 years of experience in creation and use of artificial languages let us suppose that a sole language will be enough, i.e. there is no need to create independent systems of signs for native English, Arabian or Chinese etc. speakers. Therefore, the barriers to the communication and dissemination of information between people of different language groups will be removed.
The practice tells us that the throughput capacity of the sensory channel is enough for transferring the text almost at the speech rate (orienting toward the read rate of well-trained blind people). So, the sensory input channel can (potentially) become a full-fledged information gadget.
If we proceed from that the device should not impede the everyday life, then the concentration zones for the main sense receptors (fingers and palm, lips, tongue) should be excluded. If the device is to be worn and taken off easily, then only hands (hands and forearms) and the head (forehead) remain. As regards the device position, hands are convenient with the form factor habituality (bracelet watch), the forearm is convenient for carrying a greater weight and additional equipment (a bigger battery, sound headset etc.) and additionally include the input function (similar to Myo bracelets), and the forehead is situated close to the eyes and ears, so it can be used as a part of the device that would embrace all 3 sensory organs at once. Only the practice will reveal which of the devices will prove to be most convenient for the people. Though all of them can exist (and be used) at the same time and, of course, there will be some special-purpose and professional devices that would use palms and fingers.
Presumably, the main functions of such devices will be the event notifications similar to nowadays SMS messages in our phones. However, the number and role of such notifications can be much larger, if we use the integration of all gadgets and home networks of a person into a single information device. Of course, such devices will allow reading a text in situations when it is too noisy or dark, trembling or simply inconvenient to read the normal book. Apart from the information events, background notifications could serve for getting various information – about time, temperature and pressure, taking directions, whether forecast, even radiation level, if it is elevated.
Undoubtedly, for the blind and defective vision people such devices may become a true window to the information world, but only subject to the new network technologies’ ubiquity. Two reasons for it. First, it is not enough just to be able reading a text, it is necessary that the text itself exist; that means, it is not enough just to have the internet connection, but the web-services and web-sites be able to provide the information in the form useable via the devices that work with texts only. In that case the device will be able to read the text aloud or display it on the text screen, or transfer it through the sensory channel. And of course, today’s Internet provides its visitors full-fledged applications instead of static contents. The second reason is that the modern industry can make cheap goods only when they are produced on large scale. The reason why modern devices elaborated for reading by blind people based on Braille alphabet cost thousands dollars is their tiny production quantity. A mass production of sensory devices for all people, both, for the professional use and as comfortable gadgets, will allow reducing their price down to some hundreds dollars or even dozens dollars for the cheapest models, making them affordable almost for all blind and defective vision people. The devices can even partly substitute vision – similar to devices like BrainPort allowing “seeing” by using the tongue or use the skin like dolphins use the echolocators.
Apart from blind and people of weak vision, the devices will aid deaf people or people with hearing loss as well, partly compensating the loss at the expense of sensory signals. Say, the voice recognition device can what is being said to the deaf person, into sensory signals, text. Just as it can translate his/her gestures (recognized like the Myo bracelet does) into speech for the other people. Some significant and loud sounds within the person’s visible range can be translated to him/her into sensory signals. (direction + type, for example “a car is approaching from behind, left”).
Evidently, one of the final points of the connection technology progress will be human’s integration into the single information space at a level close to telepathy, integrating by something like a sense organ. Naturally, it supposes a direct connection to the brain and the nerves coming to the brain. Directly connecting to the visual or auditory nerve, at that translating some signals that would make sense, not just a noise – hardly achievable in the foreseeable future. Use of the other sense organs apart from the sense of touch – has no prospects (taste, smell – because of their low throughput rate), dangerous and simply inconvenient (the sense of muscle tension and the body position in the space). Use of the sense of touch is convenient enough – it can be linked to by just pressing and vibrating on the skin points, or it is possible to affect the nerves directly (by electric pulses). Signals coming through this channel do not disorientate human and it has a sufficient throughput rate. And the experiments revealed (for example, BrainPort) they can be as efficient as implanting electrodes into the brain directly.
Basing on the mentioned above, the development of the sensory devices can become the most comfortable way to the neuro-implants technologies. It is not enough, if we just put some electrodes into a human, as the whole range of information and humanitarian technologies is required. We need technologies for creating internet-services and information sites compatible with non-visual interface. We need to develop the system of signs, language for the neuro-interfaces. We need to pass the whole process of a new eco-system creation – like we needed broadcasting stations to spread the radio, and the broadcasting stations needed listeners, same applies to the neuro-interface-oriented network services which require users, and the users require services. This process takes some time and the existence of neuro-gadgets will stimulate the further progress of the information network in general and neuro-interface-oriented services in particular.
Over 100 years of experience in creation and use of artificial languages let us suppose that a sole language will be enough, i.e. there is no need to create independent systems of signs for native English, Arabian or Chinese etc. speakers. Therefore, the barriers to the communication and dissemination of information between people of different language groups will be removed.